<p>Tension mounted again in the communally sensitive town of Meerut, about 500 km from here, after news broke out that a girl was gang-raped and forced to convert while she was held hostage at a madarsa for several days.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Hundreds of people took to the streets and laid siege to a police station and pelted stones at the homes of members of a particular community, triggering tension in the area on Sunday, police sources said.<br /><br />The police later swung into action and arrested three men, including the pradhan (chief) of the victim’s village. The government also suspended the in-charge of the local police station on charges of laxity.<br /><br />Security personnel in strength have been deployed in the area to maintain law and order and senior officials were monitoring the situation, sources said.<br /><br />According to reports, the girl, a resident of the neighbouring Hapur district, had gone missing about 10 days ago. Her parents had alleged that she had been kidnapped by members of a particular community. The victim, who is a graduate, had also taught at the local madarsa. <br /><br />Reports said that on Sunday the victim contacted her parents and informed them that she had been kidnapped by the pradhan and other people. <br /><br />Her parents, who later met the girl at the Meerut bus stand, said that she had been gang-raped and was also forced to convert. The victim told her parents that she had been kept at a madarsa in Muzaffarnagar, where there were many other girls.<br /><br />As the news spread, hundreds of people gathered around Kahrkhanda police station demanding arrest of the culprits. <br /><br />A case was later registered against the pradhan and nine others. Three people have been arrested and efforts were on to nab the others. A police team has also been sent to the madarsa at Muzaffarnagar to ascertain if there are other girls who are being held forcibly, the sources added.<br /><br />Meerut is close to both Saharanpur and Muzaffarnagar, which have witnessed large scale communal violence in the past.</p>
<p>Tension mounted again in the communally sensitive town of Meerut, about 500 km from here, after news broke out that a girl was gang-raped and forced to convert while she was held hostage at a madarsa for several days.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Hundreds of people took to the streets and laid siege to a police station and pelted stones at the homes of members of a particular community, triggering tension in the area on Sunday, police sources said.<br /><br />The police later swung into action and arrested three men, including the pradhan (chief) of the victim’s village. The government also suspended the in-charge of the local police station on charges of laxity.<br /><br />Security personnel in strength have been deployed in the area to maintain law and order and senior officials were monitoring the situation, sources said.<br /><br />According to reports, the girl, a resident of the neighbouring Hapur district, had gone missing about 10 days ago. Her parents had alleged that she had been kidnapped by members of a particular community. The victim, who is a graduate, had also taught at the local madarsa. <br /><br />Reports said that on Sunday the victim contacted her parents and informed them that she had been kidnapped by the pradhan and other people. <br /><br />Her parents, who later met the girl at the Meerut bus stand, said that she had been gang-raped and was also forced to convert. The victim told her parents that she had been kept at a madarsa in Muzaffarnagar, where there were many other girls.<br /><br />As the news spread, hundreds of people gathered around Kahrkhanda police station demanding arrest of the culprits. <br /><br />A case was later registered against the pradhan and nine others. Three people have been arrested and efforts were on to nab the others. A police team has also been sent to the madarsa at Muzaffarnagar to ascertain if there are other girls who are being held forcibly, the sources added.<br /><br />Meerut is close to both Saharanpur and Muzaffarnagar, which have witnessed large scale communal violence in the past.</p>
